Ovid Flashcards
(37 cards)
Lycaon
Told by Zeus, king Lycaon denies that it’s really Zeus, tries to feed him human meat and kill him. Results in him turning into wolf. Causes end of world
Deucalion and Pyrrha
Ovid telling story. Post flood, Deucalion and Pyrrha are all who remain. They are pious, go to oracle, told to cast their mother’s bones behind their back. They throw stones, which turn into men and women.
Phaethon
Told by Ovid. Phaethon is son of Helios, he seeks him out. Helios offers him one wish, Phaethon wants to drive the chariot. Helios must allow, but Phaethon can’t ctrl chariot, goes to high and too low, burns earth until Zeus kills him with bolt. Sisters become trees, amber tears. Friend Cycnus becomes a swan.
Arachne
Ovid telling story. Arachne is a fine weaver, has a contest with Minerva. Tapestries depict different ideas of the relationship btwn gods and mortals. Arachne wins. Minerva hits her with shuttle and turns her into a spider.
Philemon and Baucis
Lelex is speaking, Jupiter and Mercury came to visit, Though P and B were poor, they treated the two guests very well and were rewarded with endless wine, and told to go up the mountain to avoid upcoming flood. House becomes temple, they ask to be priests and guards of temple and to die at same time. They became trees together at ripe old age.
Daphne
Ovid speaking. Apollo makes fun of Cupid’s bow and arrow, so Cupid fires love arrow of gold into Apollo and Iron arrow of disgust into Daphne. Apollo pursues, bad pickup lines, Daphne transforms into tree. Apollo uses her branches as laurel wreath of victory.
Io
Ovid speaking. Jupiter fell in love with her, raped her as a storm cloud, turned her into cow to hide her from Juno. He gives Juno the cow, she sets Argus to watch her, drives her mad with gadfly. Jupiter has Mercury kill Argus and set her free. Pan and Syrinx story told by Mercury puts Argos to sleep. Io gets turned back by Juno.
Callisto
Ovid speaking. She is tired, goes to a pure pond to bathe, Jupiter takes form of Diana and rapes her. Gets discovered 9 months later bc she’s pregnant, Diana turns her into a bear. Almost is killed by her son, but Jupiter turns them into constellations. Juno angry, so they don’t get to touch the ocean.
Raven and Crow
Ovid speaking for Raven. The Crow tells his story of how he spied on daughters of Cecrops peeking into basket. For gossip Minerva places him beneath the owl. Crow was once a royal princess, Neptune pursued her so asked for help and was turned into crow. Raven ignores story, tells Apollo of lover’s infidelity. He fires arrow at her, killing her even though she’s pregnant. He sends baby to Chiron.
Ocyrhoe
Ovid Speaking. Daughter of Chiron reveals too much prophecy and gets turned into horse. Predicts Chiron’s death and child’s role as Healer.
Battus
Ovid Speaking. Mercury has cows, asks Battus to keep them a secret. Comes back and asks, Battus blabs, gets turned into hard flint rock.
Aglauros
Ovid speaking. Mercury falls in love with Herse, Aglauros sees him coming, asks who he is. Mercury asks for her to let him woo Herse. She asks for gold in return. Minerva doesn’t like this and has Envy come and poison her. She tries to stop Mercury and have him herself, for this Mercury turns her into a black rock.
Europa
Ovid Speaking. Jupiter comes to Europa as a cow. She rides him, he takes her across sea to Crete.
Pyramus and Thisbe
Daughter of Minyas tells story while spinning. Star crossed lovers, try to escape and meet. Thisbe runs from lion, Pyramus finds her shirt and thinks she’s dead. Kills self. Thisbe finds him. Kills self.
Mars and Venus
Other daughter, Leuconoe, tells story. Helios sees Venus and Mars having affair. Tells Vulcan. Vulcan casts a net on them during the act, every comes and points and laughs.
The Sun in Love: Leucothoe
Told by Leuconoe. Venus’ revenge. Makes Helios love Leucothoe. He appears to her in form of her mother and rapes her. In consequence, her father buries her alive. Helios tries to revive her insuccessfully, makes her a flower.
Hermaphroditus
Alcithoe speaking. Son of Mercury and Venus is beautiful. Nymph Salamacis wants him. He bathes in a pristine pond at noon. She attacks, clings to him until their bodies are melded together into both male and female. The pond diminishes manhood.
Niobe
Ovid speaking. Niobe has lots of daughters and sons, doesn’t worship Latona. Apollo and Diana kill all children with arrows. Niobe in mourning turns into stone.
Marsyas
Theban speaking about suffering caused by hubris. Marsyas challenges Apollo to piping contest, loses, gets flayed alive. Satrys mourning him cry, tears become the Marsyas river.
Tereus Procne Philomena
Ovid speaking. Tereus and Procne marry, doomed wedding. Procne has Tereus bring her sister Philomena back from Athens. When she arrives, he rapes her and cuts out her tongue. Keeps her away from Procne. They reuinte eventually, Procne murders their child, feeds him to Tereus, then they turn into birds.
Daedalus and Icarus
Ovid speaking. Daedalus builds wings to escape Crete. Son Icarus flies too high, wax melts, he falls into the sea,
Daedalus and Perdix
Daedalus’s nephew Perdix is better at invention than him, so he throws Perdix off a cliff. As he falls, Pallas turns him into a bird.
Orpheus and Eurydice
Ovid speaking. Orpheus’s new wife Eurydice killed by a snake. Orpheus travels to underworld to get her back. Sways them by music, they send Eurydice back with him but he can’t look back. When he’s close, he looks back and she’s gone. Turns to homosexuality.
Ganymede
Orpheus singing songs here, Jupiter loves Ganymede, abducts him as an eagle, has him stay as his servant boy.